'No State Has The Right': Russia Slams US Over Seizure Of Its Tanker In Atlantic

Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 21:24 IST

Russia said that under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, vessels on the high seas are protected from the use of force by other states.

The tanker, formerly known as Bella-1 and later renamed Marinera, was given temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag. (Image via X/@US_EUCOM)

Russia on Wednesday slammed the United States for seizing a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, saying the action violated international law and freedom of navigation.

In a statement, Russia’s transport ministry said that under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, vessels on the high seas are protected from the use of force by other states.

“No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered under the jurisdiction of other states," the ministry said.

The tanker, formerly known as Bella-1 and later renamed Marinera, was given temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag on December 24, according to the ministry. It added that contact with the ship was lost after US naval forces boarded it “in the open sea, beyond the territorial waters of any state".

The Russian statement comes after the US confirmed the seizure, saying the vessel was taken under a warrant issued by a US federal court. US European Command said the tanker was part of a so-called shadow fleet used to move oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington’s blockade on Venezuelan oil was being enforced “anywhere in the world". Shortly after the North Atlantic operation, the US military said it had also seized a second sanctioned tanker in the Caribbean Sea.

The tanker had previously avoided a boarding attempt near Venezuela and was not carrying cargo at the time of its seizure. It has been under US sanctions since 2024 over alleged links to Iran and Hezbollah.

Russia said the ship was sailing peacefully under its flag and was far from US territorial waters. Moscow had earlier sent a submarine to escort the vessel and questioned what it called “disproportionate" attention from US and NATO forces.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions following recent developments in Venezuela. US officials have claimed that special forces detained Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and that Washington now intends to exert control over the country’s oil sector.

President Donald Trump has said the US will receive large quantities of Venezuelan crude, though details and legal grounds remain unclear.

(With inputs from agencies)

News world 'No State Has The Right': Russia Slams US Over Seizure Of Its Tanker In Atlantic

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